Pedal shifter means for transmissions



Aug: 10, 1937. T. B. TLER 2,089,453

PEDAL SHIFTER MEANS FOR TRANSMISSIONS Original Filed May 14, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 721g 2001; Z; a?

ATTORNEY T. B. TYLER PEDAL SHIFTER MEANS FOR TRANSMISSIONS Aug. 10, 1937 ori inal Filed May 14, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Aug. 10, 1937. 1-. B. TYLER PEDAL S HIFTER MEANS FOR TRANSMISSIONS Original Filed May 14, 1 932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 7%: 7 670d}! 77 BY {7 a,

ATTORNEY Patented Aug 10, 1937 PATENT OFFICE PEDAL SHIFTER MEANS FOR TRAN S- NiISSIONS Tracy Brooks Tyler, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Monopower Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Refile for abandoned application Serial No.

611,383, May 14, 1932.

This application March 20, 1936, Serial N0. 69,990

15 Claims.

The present application is a refile for abandoned application Serial No. 611,383, filed May 14, 1932.

This invention relates to transmission operating means.

Transmissions, especially when used with automobiles, usually include one or more shifter rails which are operafively connected to sets of torquetransfer engaging elements in the transmission and which may be moved to select a set and cause engagement of the elements thereof, as desired. The shifter rail, or rails as the case may be, are generally in the form of longitudinally reciprocable parts having a plurality of positions, corre- 15 sponding to the selections created by the rails.

In one form of transmission the rail (or rails) are connected to a hand-lever by means of which they are reciprocated to and from their various positions. In another form, the rail (or rails) are 0 connected to an automatically operating device 25 ciprocating one or more of the shifter rails of a transmission.

A still further object is to provide for a shifter rail, a foot operated means for reciprocating the same, and an auxiliary manually operated means 130 for accomplishing the same result.

Still further objects of the present invention will become readily apparent from the appended detailed description of embodiments of the invention and from the drawings disclosing the v ";35 same.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 which is a transverse longitudinal fragmentary section of parts associated with a transmission, shows an embodiment of the in- 40 vention in conjunction with one shifter rail;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view as if in the direction of the arrow 3 of Figure 1;

45 Fig. 4 is a View similar to that of Figure 2, but showing means for controlling two shifter rails.

Referring to Figs. 1-3 of the drawings, it will be seen that there is disclosed a transmission 50 casing ll) under whose top is slidably mounted a parallel shifter rail l I having a plurality (four) of notches, 12, arranged as shown and adapted F to cooperate with a spring pressed conical check plunger is, to define a neutral and three driving 55 positions for the rail ll.

The shifter rail is forked, as at I 5, so that when reciprocated by means, such as those here shown, or by any other means, it serves to move a sliding part iii of the transmission and serves to create a neutral relation or one of three driving re- 5 lations therein, the particular relation set up corresponding to the rail notch that is aligned with a check plunger.

The shifter rail is provided on its under surface with rack teeth I! in engagement with the teeth of a gear sector [8, fixed to a squared cross shaft [9, the latter also having a wide rocker arm 20 fixed thereto remote from the sector.

Journalled on a second cross shaft 2| and traversing the wide ends of the rocker arm are a plurality (four) of narrow, parallel shifter arms 22 which at their ends near the rocker arms have yokes 23 underlying the ends of the rocker arm 20, all of these yokes being engageable with the rocker arm though not at the same time. The shifter arms are shaped differently so that movements thereof, caused by foot pressure on the various pedal extensions 24 thereof, will cause various degrees of movement of the rocker arm, as can readily be seen. 25

The operation of the parts thus far described may be effected by the operator who presses upon a selected one of the pedals 24 and actuates a thus selected shifter arm, to give a corresponding movement to the rocker arm and shifter rail and to cause a thus selected shifter rail notch to be alined with the plunger l3.

In the preferred embodiment, the pedals, etc., are conveniently arranged (Fig. 3) with respect to the operator and the accelerator, throttle or control pedal 25, to his right and below him. For example, the low speed drive pedal (L) will be at the lower left of pedal 25. The high speed drive pedal (1-1) will be at the upper left thereof, the intermediate speed drive pedal (I) will be at the lower right thereof, and the neutral or nodrive pedal (N) will be at the upper right. The two most frequently used pedals, L and H, will be between the operator and the control pedal 25, as shown.

If desired the rocker arm 20 may be, and preferably is provided with a downwardly projecting extension 28 connected at 29 to a rod 30 which in turn is connected at 3| to a lever 32, shown diagrammatically, and pivoted at 33 to be moved 0 over a quadrant 34. The lever 32 provides for the shifter rail a manually controlled actuation, useful as a substitute for the pedally controlled 3 actuation effected through the pedals 24 and the shifter arms 22. The lever 34 may, if desired, be

mounted on the steering column of the vehicle, or in any other suitable place.

With the mechanism thus far described there may be provided a second and independently actuated shifter rail, not shown, for reverse drive.

A second embodiment, of the invention, particularly adapted for use with a standard doublerail transmission is shown Fig. 4, and part resembles the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-3. Referring to Fig. l, it will be seen that there are provided two parallel shifter rails idll having three pairs of notches ll. cooperating with check plungers All.

The rail 50 has rack teeth, not shown, in mesh with the gear teeth of a sector fixed to a cross shaft 46, to which, in a plane remote from the sector 45, is fixed a rocker arm ll having wide roller ends 68.

The rail ll has rack teeth, not shown, in mesh with the gear teeth of a sector fixed to a tubular cross shaft 5i, surrounding the shaft is. To .the tubular shaft, in a plane remote from the sector 5%, but adjacent the plane of rocker arm 4?, is fixed a rocker arm 5i, having wide roller ends 52.

The rocker arms ll andtl have vertically projecting portions and Eli to which are secured the ends of manipulator rods and 5d, respectively, these being selectively actuable to rotate the thus selected'rocker arm to move the corresponding rail, until the thus selected one of the notches d2 aligns with the check plunger. As indicated, when manipulator is moved to the left (Fig. l) rail ll will move to the left, until its notch l2-L', which is the low speed drive notch,

aligns with check plunger 43. Similarly, manipulator Ell is moved to the left for high speed drive, and to the right for intermediate. Manipulator 58 is moved to the right for reverse drive. In Fig. 4 the parts are shown in neutral position, with notches 42N aligned with the plungers 13.

For actuating the rails it) and ll, pedally, but only for forward speed drives, or for no drive at all, there are provided four adjacent shifter arms 69, ti, I52 and 63, respectively, all journaled on a cross shaft 8%, as shown, and all terminating in yokes 65 underlying rocker arms il and El.

Arms (iii, 62 and as will be readily understood, selectively operate rocker arms 5i and ll, individually, to move rail ll to the left for low speed, to move rail ill to the left for high speed and. to the right for intermediate speed. The arm 6i, split as indicated to underlie the two rocker arms, operates both of them, shifting them, and rails lll, simultaneously, into neutral or no drive position.

The arms $@ili may be provided with pedal extensions, like those of Figs. 1-3, whereby pedal actuation thereof is made possible.

Itwill be observed that the shifter rail or rails may be moved pedally without any difficulty, and that movement of the pedal is accomplished simply and positively. fhe operator nee-d do no more than step upon the pedal in any manner and that any foot movement, provided it be of sufficient strength, of course, is translated by the shifter arms into positive movement of the shifter rail.

It will further be observed that the shifter rail may be moved pedally or manually, such movements being completely independent of each other, whereby the shifter rail may be movable pedally or manually if desired.

Further, it will be, observed that the arrangement of the pedals, or of the notches on the quadrantt may be selected to suit the taste of the manufacturer, for any arrangement of the same, when properly coordinated to the rail itself, will operate the rail as desired.

it will also be observed that while no specific form of transmission is disclosed in the drawings attached hereto, will be understood that the pedal arrangement is particularly adapted and especially intended for use with the frictionally engaging transmission of my application in Serial No. 614,349 filed May 31, 1932, or with the fluid engaging transmission of my application Serial No. 616,141, filed June 8, 1932.

A pedal arrangement is particularly advantageous for use with these transmissions as contradistinguished from transmissions employing positive tooth engaging elements, for reasons which will appear below. When selecting and shifting is performed, in positive tooth clutch transmissions, or in sliding gear transmissions, it is necessary for the, operator to move the selector and shifter part, lever, etc, in steps and he must feel his way, from one step to another, before he moves the lever, this being due to the necessity of waiting until the teeth of the clutches or sliding gears are positioned to mesh freely. Because. of this, the lever or part used in these transmissions should be moved manually, rather than pedally, for the hand is sensitive enough to be controlled by the operator to react to the toothmeshing action, whereas the foot is not sensitive enough to he so well controlled.

With transmissions of the types disclosed in my applications Serial No. 614,349 and Serial No. 616,141, where the transmission clutches are of the friction or fluid type, there is no necessity of shifting in steps, or waiting for clutch teeth or gear teeth to mesh. Accordingly, as insensitive a limb as the foot may well be used with these transmissions without objection.

Further, by providing pressure clutches, the shiftable control element 26 can be moved for shifting, in stages, without there being any necessity for retracting the same. Accordingly, the pedal mechanism for operating rocker arm 28 may be so designed that individual pedals need not be so connected to the rocker arm Zll, as to be able to retractany part of the advance movement of the latter, previously imparted thereto by that pedal. Similarly, each pedal may be mounted to move against a definite terminal, and there is not necessary any step-by-step or various stopping positions, in pedal advance movement.

t will also be observed that while in the above, the pedal arrangement has been described as particularly adapted for friction or fluid engaging transmissions, it is well adapted for other transmissions, as shown in Figure 4.

Further it will be observed that the shifter rail moving means is extremely simple and sturdy of construction, there being no relatively adjusted parts to be put out of order or otherwise injured. 1

It will also be observed that the arrangement of the pedals 2 with respect to the accelerator or controller pedal 25 is such that the most frequently used pedals, L and H, are most readily accessible to the operator whose position is above and to the left of the pedals, when they are arranged as in Figure 3.

It will further be observed that the foot pedal operating means may be applied to a conventional two-rail transmission as readily as to a single rail transmission, and that when so applied possesses all of the advantages mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs.

Now having described the invention and preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that the scope of the invention is to be limited not to the specific details herein described but to the claims which follow.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a transmission having a movable shifter part, means cooperating therewith for defining selected positions thereof, and

means for moving the part to cause it to assume said positions, said moving means including a shaft, means operatively connecting said shaft and part at one end of the latter, a rocker arm on the other end of the shaft, a plurality of differently formed shifter arms traversing said rocker arm, a shaft upon which said shifter arms are pivotally mounted, and pedal extensions on the ends of said shifter arms.

2. In combination with a transmission having a movable shifter part, means cooperating therewith for defining selected positions thereof, and means for moving the part to cause it to assume said positions, said moving means including a shaft, gear means operatively connecting said shaft and part at one end of the latter, a rocker arm on the other end of the shaft, a plurality of differently formed shifter arms traversing said rocker arm, a shaft upon which said shifter arms are pivotally mounted, and pedal extensions on the ends of said shifter arms.

3. In combination with a transmission having a movable shifter part, means cooperating therewith for defining selected positions thereof, and means for moving the part to cause it to assume said positions, said moving'means including a shaft, means operatively connecting said shaft and part at one end of the latter, a rocker arm on the other end of the shaft, a plurality of differently formed shifter arms traversing said rocker arm and lying side by side, a shaft upon which said shifter arms are pivotally mounted, and pedal extensions on the ends of said shifter arms.

4. In combination with a transmission having 45 a reciprocable shifter part, means cooperating therewith for defining selected positions thereof, and means for moving the part to cause it to assume said positions, said moving means including a shaft, means operatively connecting 50 said shaft and part at one end of the latter, a

rocker arm on the other end of the shaft, a plurality of differently formed shifter arms traversing said rocker arm and lying side by side, a shaft upon which said shifter arms are pivotally 55 mounted, and pedal extensions on the ends of said shifter arms, said shaft also having, at its rocker arm end, a crank to which may be connected a manipulator rod.

5. In combination with a transmission having a movable shifter part, means cooperating therewith for defining selected positions thereof, and means for moving the part to cause it to assume said positions, said moving means including a shaft, means operatively connecting said shaft and part at one end of the latter, a rocker arm on the other end of the shaft, a plurality of differently formed shifter arms traversing said rocker arm and lying side by side, a shaft upon which said shifter arms are pivotally mounted, and pedal extensions on the ends of said shifter arms, said shaft also having, at its rocker arm end, a crank to which may be connected a manipulator rod.

6. In combination with a transmission having 75 a. movable shifter part, means cooperating therewith for defining selected positions thereof, and means for moving the part to cause it to assume said positions, said moving means including a shaft, gear means operatively connecting said shaft and part at one end of the latter, a rocker arm on the other end of the shaft, a plurality of differently formed shifter arms traversing said rocker arm and lying side by side, a shaft upon which said shifter arms are pivotally mounted,

and pedal extensions on the ends of said shifter arms, said shaft also having at its rocker arm end, a crank to which may be connected a manipulator rod.

'7. In combination with a transmission having a pair of movable shifter parts disposed in parallel juxtaposition, means cooperating therewith for defining selected positions thereof, and means for moving them to cause them to assume said positions, said moving means including a plurality of shafts, means operatively connecting said shafts and parts at one set of ends of the latter, adjacent rocker arms on the other set of shaft ends, a plurality of differently formed shifter arms traversing said rocker arms, a shaft upon which said shifter arms are pivoted, and pedal extensions on the ends of said shifter arms.

8. In combination with a transmission having a pair of movable shifter parts disposed in parallel juxtaposition, means cooperating therewith for defining selected positions thereof, and means for moving them to cause them to assume said positions, said moving means including a plurality of shafts, means operatively connecting said shafts and parts at one set of ends of the latter, adjacent rocker arms on the other set of shaft ends, a plurality of differently formed shifter arms traversing said rocker arms, a shaft upon which said shifter arms are pivoted, and pedal extensions on the ends of said shifter arms, certain of said arms traversing one only of the rocker arms, and certain traversing the other only of the rocker arms.

9. In combination with a transmission having a pair of movable shifter parts disposed in parallel juxtaposition, means cooperating therewith for defining selected positions thereof, and means for moving them to cause them to assume said positions, said moving means including a plu rality of shafts, means operatively connecting said shafts and parts at one set of ends of the latter, adjacent rocker arms on the other set of shaft ends, a plurality of differently formed shifter arms traversing said rocker arms, a shaft upon which said shifter arms are pivoted, and pedal extensions on the ends of said shifter arms, certain of said arms traversing one only of the rocker arms, and certain traversing the other only of the rocker arms, one of said arms traversing both of said rocker arms.

10. In combination with a transmission having a pair of movable shifter parts disposed in parallel juxtaposition, means cooperating therewith for defining selected positions thereof, and means for moving them to cause them to assume said positions, said moving means including a plurality of shafts, means operatively connecting said shafts and parts at one set of ends of the latter, adjacent rocker arms on the other set of shaft ends, a plurality of differently formed shifter arms traversing said rocker arms, a shaft upon which said shifter arms are pivoted, and pedal extensions on the ends of said shifter arms, each of said shafts also having, at its rocker arm end, a crank to which may be connected a manipulator rod.

11. In combination with an engine throttle pedal, and a transmission having selective torque change elements, a movable shifter part, and foot pedal means for moving the part to its various positions selectively, the pedal having manipulator portions grouped around and adjacent to the throttle pedal.

12. The combination with a transmission having a movable shifter part, of means for moving said part to selective positions, said means including a shaft, means operatively connectin said shaft to said part, a rocker arm on said shaft, a plurality of differently formed pivotally mounted shifter arms traversing said rocker arm, and pedal extensions on the ends of said shifter arms.

13. The combination with a transmission hav ing a movable shifter part, of means for moving said part to selective positions, said means in- 20 eluding a shaft, means operatively connecting said shaft to said part, a rocker arm on said shaft, a plurality of differently formed pivotally mounted shifter arms traversing said rocker arm,

causes selection and shifting of different torque change elements in said transmission.

15. The combination with an automobile having an engine throttle pedal and a transmission having parts for creating a neutral relation, a

reverse drive relation, and a plurality of forward;

drive relations, of a plurality of pedals grouped around and adjacent said throttle pedal, and means for connecting said pedals to said transmission parts whereby actuation of each of said pedals creates a different relation.

TRACY BROOKS TYLER. 

